Article disposal fixture



v Sept. 1, 1936.

F. E. CLEM MER v ARTICLE DISPOSAL FIXTURE Filed A ril 10, 1935 3%4 C Zemmm:

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to the disposal of articles and materials whoseuseand function has been fulfilled and whose retention is no longernecessary or desirable. The invention particularly relates to thedisposal of articles and materials, particularly those of comparativelysmall dimension such as worn razor blades, hairpins, cotton or fabricwadding and the like, into a space, such as that defined and normallyexisting between the plastered or finished surfaces of a buildingpartitioning wall.

The invention has for an object to provide an article disposal fixturehaving a face or escutcheon plate adapted to be supported inregistration'and trimming relation to an opening preformed or otherwiseformed in 'a plastered or finished surface of a building partitioningwall, theface 'or escutcheon plate having means for permitting anddirecting the passage of articles therethrough and through the wallopening. Another object of my invention is to provide anieans forquickly and efficiently mounting the face or escutcheon plate inposition with reference to the surface of the wall.

My invention has for a still further object to provide means associatedwith the said es'-- cutcheon'plate for effecting and maintaining ayieldable closure of the said preformed wall opening to thus permitmanual insertion of articles therethrough and substantially prevent themovement of dust, intemperate air, and the like from within the wallspace to the outside, as well as contributing materially to the estheticappearance of the wallsurface andthe fixture; The

invention, therefore; permits installation of the fixture in the roomsof a building which the oc-' cupants use daily, such as the bath andkitchen rooms;

A particular object of the invention is to provide an article disposalfixture having a resilient and 'fiexible installing and maintainingmeans. The maintaining means is adapted to be' distorted duringinstallation in the wall and, after installation, to extend to itsnormal position to engage the wall at various points in a frictional orclamping manner. A further particular object of the invention is toprovide means for distorting the said resilient and flexible maintainingmeans and for retaining'the same in a distorted condition duringinstallation. The means for distorting the said maintaining means islikewise actuatable to release the maintaining means progressively withthe installation of the fixture in the wall opening.

A still further and more particular object is to provide an articledisposal fixture of low cost and of considerable adaptability andefficiency.

The invention consists in other features and advantages which willappear from the following description and upon examination of thedrawing. 6 Structures containing the invention may partake of differentforms and still embody the invention. To illustrate a practicalapplication of the invention, I have selected an article disposalfixture and one of its modified forms as 10 examples of the variousstructures and details thereof that contain the invention and shalldescribe the selected structures hereinafter, it being understood thatvariations may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. The particular structures selected are shown in theaccompanying drawing and described hereinafter.

Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrates a front view of the article disposalfixture selected for pur- 20 poses of illustration, the fixture beingshown in a wall installed position and a part of the supporting wallthereof being'shown cut away to better illustrate the fixture. Fig. 2illustrates a view of a longitudinal section of the fixture. Fig. 25 3illustrates a view of the fixture in a position facilitating easyinstallation. Fig. 4 illustrates a view of a partial longitudinalsection of amodified form of structure of the fixture shown in Figs. 1to 3.

An article disposal fixture having the features of my inventioncomprises a face or escutcheon plate and a mounting and maintainingmeans. The escutcheon plate has an opening through which articles to bedisposed of may be inserted. 35 The plate is positioned so that itsopening registers with a previously formed opening in the plastered orfinished surface of the building partitioning wall on which the fixtureis to be mounted.

The plate is adapted to be maintained in position with reference to thewall by a resilient means which engages portions of the walls and clampsthe same between the plate and the resilient means. The resilient meanspreferably comprises a plurality of elongated extensions havingresilient characteristics. The extensions are adapted duringinstallation to be inserted through the wall opening and into the spacebehind the wall surface, preferably engaging the edges of the wallopening. Each extension pref- 5 erably extends from, or is connected to,a point on the plate in proximity to the edges of the plate opening andthereby functions as a guiding means and passageway to articles insertedthrough the plate opening. The extensions are each preferably providedwith a bent portion which extends toward a correspondingly bent portionof the other extensions to form a yieldable closure of the plate openingand the passageway defined by the plate opening and to maintain therespective relation of the said plurality of extensions when installed.

The extensions have tip portions which engage the wall surface on itsback or inner side. The tip portions are preferably sharpened and may,if desired, be'bifurcated to increase the points of contact with thewall. The portion of each extension intermediate its tip and abovedescribed bent portion is bent preferably to a substantial U shape so asto resiliently press the tipp'o'rtions. against the back side of thewall surface. and gen erally toward the plate. Thus, the'pl'ate will beheld in position relative to itli'eiwall'by. theiricr tional andclamping engagement of the exten:

If it is desired to' further sions with the wall. hold the plate, theremay be provided on the plate a wall-engaging means, such as a pluralityof sharpened teats which may, by application of manual pressure on-theplate, be driven into the wall an infinitesimal distance.

-In order to distort the extensions and bring the same into asubstantially parallel relation with each other to facilitate insertionthereof through the wall-opening, a slidable collar may be provided andis adapted to be slidably moved along the extensions. As the extensionsare inserted through the wall opening, the collar may be drawn away fromthe extension tips'toward the plate, releasing the extensions so as topermit engagement'of the tips with the wall surface back side in orderto draw the escutcheon plate against the finished wall surface.

In the particular construction shown inF-igs. 1 to 3' of theaccompanying drawing,- an escutcheon plate I is providedan-d may be diepressed from metal to form beveled edge portions 2. The plate I has .anopening 3- of sufiicient dimension to permit the insertion of articlesto be disposed of. Extending fromor connected to the. edges of theopenings-3 are :34 plurality of elongated extensions-4 v Eachextension:4- has-a portion 5. which preferably extends at substantiallyasixty degree angle to the plane of the plate I and parallel to the likeportion 5 of the other of the extensions 4. The portions- 5 of theextensions thus-form a guiding .passageway from the opening 3 'of theplate. Each extension has a bent ridge portion 6 which extendstoward-and yieldingly contacts.

, the like bent portion (iv of the other'of the extensions. If desired,the ridge bent portions 6 may divide the portion. 5 into two parts andthus form a yieldable closure of-the said passageway from the opening Ito prevent undesired movement of material, dust, and intemperate airdrafts outwardly through the passageway, and the opening 3.

, The extensions4each have sharpened tip por tions I Whichmay be forkedor bifurcated to provide additional points of contact. The portions 8 ofthe extensions adjacent thetips l are bent upon-themselves intosubstantially a .U-shape to point the tips I away from each other and inthe general direction of the plate I. Thus, in the installation of the.fixture, an opening, such as the opening 9, is formed in a plasteredorfinished Wall surface I of :a building partitioning wall. The opening 9ismore easily and therefore pref.- erably formed intermediatethe plastersupporting laths I Lofthe partitioning wall. The tips I and bentportions 8 of the extensions 4 are then distorted to locate them inapproximate parallelism and inserted through the opening 9. The tips Iand portions 8 are guided by the edges of the opening 9 until the tipsemerge on the back side I2 of the wall III. Upon emergence, the tipportions tend to move away from said parallel relation and towardengagement with some part of the back side I2 of the wall I6, such aswith the laths I I. The portions 8 of the extensions 4, acting by reasonof their resiliency and directed by the contact established betweentheir respective ;-tips I, exert a pulling effect on the plate I to drawthe same against the finished surface of the WallI'O.

I It will benoted that not only is the plate I held by the portions 8and tips I and their wall relation with the plate I, but also by theyielding frictional engagement of the portions with the edges of theopening 9. The portions 5 are maintained in suchrelation not only bytheir respective relation to the plate I and themselves, but also by thecomplementary yielding contact between the ridge-like portions 6 of theextensions 4.

If it is desired to further hold the plate. I in an establishedposition, the plate I may be provided with a wall surface engagingmeans, such as a plurality of sharpened teats I4. Each of the teats I4may be struck from the corners of the plate I and extend so as to enterinto the finished surface. of the wall In when the plate I is manuallypressed against the said finished surface. Thusait will be seen, havinginstalled the fixture, that articles to be disposed of may be insertedthrough the opening 3 of the plate and will be guided angularly downwardby the portions 5 and between the ridge portions 6 to a position behind.the wall I I);

In order to assist'in maintaining the tips I and portions 8 in aparallel relation during installation, a collar I5 may be provided andbe adapted to'slidably move over the extensions 4. The collar l5 whenlocated proximate to the tips 1 tends to hold the extensions 4substantially parallel as shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing.As the collar I5 is drawn toward the plate I, the tips and portions 8move by reason of their respective resiliencies from said parallelrelation and spread to approach a wall engaging and clamping position,such as that illustrated in Fig. 20f the drawing." The collar I5 may,therefore, be moved toward the plate- I progressively with insertion ofthe extensions l through the-opening!) and finally be lodged against theback side of the plate, as shown at I8 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

.-In themodification illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, theescutcheon plate I is connected to each of the extensions 4 by asuitable hinge joint I8. One part of the hinge joint I8 is formed byrolling a lip portion I9 of the plate upon itself forming a shelf 20extending inwardly from the opening 3. In all other particulars,however, the platel and extensions 4 of the modified form maybesubstantially the same as that described hereinabove.

I claim:

1. An-article disposal fixture having ,an escutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, means for supporting the plate comprising a plurality of elongatedresilient extensions, each extension connected to the'plate at a pointin proximity to the opening, the extensions having portions extendingsubstantially parallel, with each other to form a passagewaycommunicating with the said opening, and the extensions having otherportions arcuately divergent from each other.

2. An article disposal fixture having an escutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, means for supporting the plate comprising a plurality of elongatedresilient extensions, each extension connected to the plate at a pointin proximity to the opening, the extensions having portions extendingsubstantially parallel with each other to form a passagewaycommunicating with the said opening, each parallel portion having aridge formed to resiliently engage the ridge of the other parallelportion whereby said passageway may be normally maintained closed, theextensions having other portions arcuately divergent from each other,and the ends of said last named portions having sharpened tips.

3. In combination with a wall having an opening, an article disposalfixture comprising an escutcheon plate, the escutcheon plate having anopening to admit an article to be disposed of, a pair of elongatedresilient extensions, each extension connected to the plate at a pointin proximity to the plate opening, the extensions each having portionsextending at less than a ninety degree angle to the plate and parallelto each other to form a passageway communicating with the plate opening,the said portions each having a ridge in opposition with each otherwhereby said passageway may be normally and yieldably maintained closed,the extensions having other portions bent so as to arcuately divergefrom each other, the said other portions having bifurcated sharpenedends whereby when the extensions are inserted through the wall openingthe said bifurcated sharpened ends may engage the wall to resilientlyhold the plate on the wall and so that the plate opening is located inregistration with the wall opening.

4. An article disposal fixture having an escutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, and means for supporting the plate including a resilient memberconnected to the plate and bent upon itself to form a leg portionproximate to said connection with the plate which extends away therefromand a second leg portion integral therewith and more remote from saidconnection which extends toward the plate.

5. An article disposal fixture having an escutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, an elastic strip connected at one of its ends to the plate and beingcurvedly shaped to yieldably and normally locate the other end of thestrip extending toward the plate, and means for distorting said strip tolocate the said strip ends in substantial alignment with each other tofacilitate mounting of the plate with respect to a wall opening.

6. An article disposal fixture having an es- I cutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, a pair of elastic strips each connected at one of its ends to theplate and being curvedly shaped to yieldably and normally locate theother end of each strip extending toward the plate, means for distortingeach of the said strips to locate the ends thereof in substantialalignment with each other and for maintaining each strip in saiddistorted relation to facilitate insertion of said strip through anopening formed in a plate supporting wall. 7

'7. An article disposal fixture having an escutcheon plate, theescutcheon plate having an opening to admit an article to be disposedof, a plurality of resilient extensions, each extension connected to theplate at a point in proximity to the opening, the extensions havingportions extending substantially parallel with each other tosubstantially form a passageway communicating with the said opening, oneof said parallel portions having a ridge formed to resiliently engagethe other parallel portion whereby said passageway may be normally andresiliently maintained closed and means adapted to maintain the plate inabutting contact with a supporting wall for the fixture.

FRED E. CLEMMER.

